Buick LESABRE 1997 User manual

(@ The 1997 Buick LeSabre Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety beltsproperly. Tt also explains the “SRS” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to startand operate your Buick.
Comfort Controlsand Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls andhow to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information andtips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells whatto do if you have a problem while driving, suchas a flattire or overheated engine. etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Buick runningproperly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you whento perform vehicle maintenance and what fluidsand lubricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Buick for assistanceand how to get service and owner publications.
It also givesyou information on “Reporting Safety Defects”
on page 8-8.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
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G
[ENERALMOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
B 1 UIC
the BUICK Emblem and the name LESABRE are
registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes
the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the
product after that time without further notice. For
vehicles first sold
in Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors of Canada Limited” forBuick Motor
Division whenever it appears in this manual.
Please keepthis manual in your Buick,
so it will be there
if you ever need it when you’re on the road.
If you sell
the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new
owner can use it.
Litho in
U.S.A.
Part No. 25660692 CSecond Edition
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION
THROUGH
Nahonal lnstltute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
We support voluntary
technician certification.
?or Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
?rench Language Manual:
Aux propriktairescanadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guideen fraqaischez
votre concessionaire ou
au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1C7
@CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1996
All Rights Reserved
ii

iii

&tee. its beginnings to 1903. That was the year the William C. (Billy) Durant
compmy was reorganized, refinzmced ad moved from
Detroit to Flint. Buickhas always been aproduct
innovator.
Buick engineers developed the
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Durant alsocreated a racing team that won 500 racing
trophies in
1909 and 19 10, including successesat
Indianapolis twoyears before the Indy
500 began.
The successof Buick engines was visible not only on
the race track, but in endurance tests across the country
and around the world. Buick was the only car to
complete a 1,000-mile Chicago-to-NewYork race in
1906. And a Buickwas the first carto travel across
South America,driven from Buenos Aires,Argentina,
over the Andes to Santiago, Chilein 1914.
I I
I911 Model 21 Touring Car- on Buick’s Test Hill
Buick drew plenty of attention because it could climb
hills and run through mud like no othercar. Buick’s
endurance and reliability were world famous.
During World War
I, Buick built Liberty aircraft engines
as well as Red Cross ambulances so successfully that
one Buick ambulance was awarded the Croix de Guerre
by the French government.
As a builder of premier automobiles,Buick was hard hit
by the Great Depression. However,new General
Manager Harlow H. Curtice created popular new models
including the Special and the Roadmaster. Buick sales
soon flourished.
First Buick Factory
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In World War 11, Buick built aircraft engines, tanksand
other military hardware. This post-war periodbrought
great stylingand engineering changeswhich resulted in
increased sales. The torque converter automatic
transmission,Dynaflow, was introduced
in the 1948
Roadmaster. Buick’s
famous “portholes” camealong
in 1949.
1949 Roadmaster
A high-compression V-8 engine was introduced in 1953.
And Buick’s famous vertical pillar “toothy”
grille
(introduced in 1942) became more massive in the
post-war era.
1953 Skylark
Motor Trend magazine named the 1962 Buick Special
“Car of the Year.” The first production
V-6 engine was
used in the Special.
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I962 Bcrick Special
Built inside the walls of the old buildings in Buick’s
former Flint complex, which formed the cornerstone of
General Motors, Buick City is a state-of-the-art
assembly facilitywith more than
200 robots and other
high-tech equipment. It was completed in the fall
of
1985.
Buicks are, and will continue tobe, premium American
motorcars with smooth power, high performance, rich
detail and comfortable accommodation.
Ed Mu-tz, General Manager-, Brrick Motor Division
Our mission is simple:
“Buick will provide Premium American Motorcars
backed with services that exceed
our customers’
expectations, throughout the purchase, ownership,
service and repurchase experience.”
Buicks are SUBSTANTIAL.
Buicks are DISTINCTIVE.
Buicks are POWERFUL.
Buicks are
PREMIUM.
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How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If
you do this, it will help you learn about the features
and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll
find that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need isthe Index in
the back of the manual. It’s analphabetical list
of all
that’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll
find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you
if you were to ignore
the warning.
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These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what thehazard is. Then
we tell
you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t,you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it
in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,’’
“Don’t
do this,” or“Don’t
let this happen.”
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Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
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NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damageyour vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about somethingthat can
damage
your vehicle. Many times, this damage would
not be covered by your warranty, and
it could be
costly. But the notice will tell
you what to do to help
avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals,you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warningsin different
colors
or in different words.
You’ll also seewarning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION orNOTICE.
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Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example.
these symbols
are used
on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR ,111,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE
BAlTERY
These symbols
are important
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
for you md
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK e
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
These symbols
have
to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e
TURN
RUNNING .':**o
DAYTIME
LAMPS * **
FOG LAMPS # 0
These symbols
are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN '
These symbols
are
used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT
TEMP -
CHARGING
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE (0)
h
COOLANT
ENGINEOIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
I
LIGHTER -
HORN k3
SPEAKER
b
FUEL m

Section 1 Seats andRestraintSystems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Buick and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about somethings you should
not do with air bags and safety belts.
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Seats and Seat Controls
Safety Belts: They’refor Everyone
Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Driver Position
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Right Front PassengerPosition
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Center PassengerPosition
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Rear Seat Passengers
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides forChildren
and Small Adults
Children
Child Restraints
Larger Children
Safety Belt Extender
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash
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Seatsand Seat Controls
This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust
them -- and also about reclining seatbacks and
head restraints.
Manual Front Seat
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startleand
confuse
you, or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjustthe driver’s seat only when
the vehicle
is not moving.
Pull up on the control bar under the front of the seat to
unlock
it. Slide the seat to where you want it. Then
release the bar and try to move the seat with your body
to make sure
the seat is locked into place.
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Power Seat (If Equipped)
The powerseat controls areon the armrest.
Front Control: Raise the front of the seat by pushing
the left side
of the switch. Push the right side of the
switch to lower the front of the seat.
Center Control: Move the seat forward or backward by
pushing the control on the front or back. Raise the seat
by pushing the control on
the left. Lower the seat by
pushing the control on the right.
Rear Control: Raise the rear of the seat by pushing the
switch on the left. Lower the rear of the seat by pushing
the switch on the right.
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Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback, lift the leveron the outer side of
the seat and move the seatback to where you want it.
Release the lever to lock theseatback. Pull up on the
lever
and the seat will go to an upright position.
But don’t havea seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.
Sittingin a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motioncan be dangerous. Even if you buckle
CAUTION: (Continued)
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CAUTION: (Continuea)
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t be against yourbody. Instead, itwill be in
front of you. In
a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck
or other injuries.
The lapbelt can’t do its job either. In a crash the
belt could
go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not
at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, havethe seatback upright. Then sitwell
back in the seatand wear yoursafety belt properly.
Head Restraints
Slidethe head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the top of your ears. Thisposition
reduces the chance of a neck injury
in a crash.
Safety Belts:They’refor Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things
you should not do
with safety belts.
And
it explains the SupplementalRestraint System
(SRS), or air bag system.
A CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected fromit. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash,you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properlytoo.
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CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people ridingin these areas are morelikely tobe
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any areaof your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safetybelts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
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Your vehicle has a light that
comes on as a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety Belt
Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says
to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll be ina crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be
a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be
so
serious that even buckled up aperson wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
... a lot!
Why SafetyBelts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
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I
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat
on wheels.
Put someone on it.
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Get it up to speed. Then stopthe vehicle. The rider
doesn't stop. The person keeps going until stopped
by something.
In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
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